The next morning came fast. Sea yawned as she sat up on her bed. The sun was shining through the curtains on her windows.
“C’mon, Angus. Time to get up,” Sea turned to where her dog laid on the bed. Only the canine was not there.
“Angus?” Sea looked around the room for her pet. That’s weird, she thought. The pegasus opened her already cracked door and walked down the hallway to her parents’ room.
“Momma? Daddy?” Sea called. Her father peeked out of the bedroom.
“Yeah, Pal?”
“Do you know where Angus is? He wasn’t in my room when I woke up,”
“I haven’t seen him. Rosie?” Bass called into the room.
“Yeah?” Amethyst answered from the bathroom.
“You haven’t seen Angus this morning, have you?”
“No. Why?” the white pegasus came up beside him.
“He wasn’t in my room. I don’t know where he is. I don’t even know if he even came in.” Sea was beginning to get a little panicky.
“Don’t worry, honey. I’m sure he’ll show up. Maybe he went to see Winona,” Amethyst suggested.
“Y-yeah. Maybe. I’m going to go to Applejack’s to see if she’s seen him,”
“Do you want any breakfast first?”
“I not very hungry, Momma,” Sea turned away and trotted down stairs. Bass and Amethyst stood at the doorway of their room, hearing the opening and shutting of the front door as Sea went out.
~~~
“Sorry, Sea Breeze. Ah haven’t seen ‘im. ‘Course if Ah did Ah’d of chased his curly tailed rear home,” Applejack chuckled. She stopped when she saw Sea’s dejected face. “If ya want any help looking for ‘im, though, let me know and me and the girls will help ya search for him,”
“Thanks, AJ,” Sea flapped her wings and slowly flew away. Applejack watched her as she disappeared from sight.
“Poor kid. Ah know Ah’d be wreck if Winona went missing,” Applejack sighed to herself.
Sea went to all of Twilight’s friends, asking if they had seen Angus. Each time she received a downhearted ‘no’. She swore that she saw Pinkie’s mane deflate slightly when she said that Angus was missing. Rainbow Dash was down casted after Sea asked her. Fluttershy and Rarity each fought a flood of tears. When she arrived at Twilight’s castle, Sea finally broke down and cried in the princess’ arms, Spike laying a comforting claw on her shoulder.
“I don’t know what to do, Twi,” Sea sniffed. “He’s never done this before. He is always on my bed, right beside me.” A few more tears came rolling down her face. Twilight patted the pegasus’ back.
“Don’t worry, Sea. We’ll find him. I promise you. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” Twilight smiled gently at the mare still holding on to her.
“Now, how about you head home, rest, maybe have something to eat. I’ll rally the girls and we’ll get a game plan together,”
“Okay, Twilight. Thanks.” Sea hugged her friend tightly and then hugging Spike.
“You can trust Twilight, Sea Breeze. We’ll bring Angus home,” the baby dragon stated. Sea smiled at him and hugged him again.
~~~
The black and white dog trotted slowly through the Everfree Forest. He had left his home in the middle of the night. In his mind, there was no reason to stay. His mistress no longer loved him, Bass and Amethyst rarely had time for him, Lightning didn’t even know he existed half the time and the four annoying fillies were always torturing him with tu-tus and lip stick.
He trotted down the pathway, his head and usually curled tailed hung low. His eyes were full of hurt and pain. Most days he was a proud standing, muscular beast that dared ponies to mess with him. Now, he was a sad, miserable shell of his once magnificent self. If one looked close enough, they could see what looked like a tear falling from his eye.
Angus suddenly stopped mid-step, his front left paw held up. His nose picked up a scent, a horrible stench that made him want to gag. He looked around cautiously, his dark brown eyes settling on some bushes beside the pathway. He took a step closer, curious as to what it was that he smelled. That’s when he saw it.
He began running down the path as fast as his legs could carry him. Behind him was a rapidly approaching adolescent timberwolf. He jumped over streams, rocks and logs, but he could not shake the timberwolf. He jumped over another log, but he stumbled and fell as he landed. He felt a sharp pain go up his right front leg and into his shoulder. He heard the timberwolf howling, approaching him quickly. The last thing he thought of as the wooden creature jumped over the log, was his Sea Breeze.
~~~
Sea walked up the front steps of her home. Sitting on the swing was Thunder Bolt. Sea ran to him and collapsed into his open arms. Bolt pulled her close as she cried into his chest. She held onto him as if her life depended on it. She burrowed her head into his neck as he placed his head over her shoulder.
“I miss him, Bolty. I miss my dog.” she cried. Bolt felt tears come into his own eyes as he heard his marefriend’s words. A few drops fell out and onto her mane.
“Shhh, it’s okay, Sea. It’s fine. I’m here, baby,” Bolt rubbed his hoof up and down her back.
The pegasi sat on the swing for a long time, Sea never letting go of Bolt. Bass and Amethyst watched the two out the window. The husband and wife both had unshed tears in their eyes, heartbroken over what their daughter was going through. Amethyst flinched, a sonic boom sounding in the distance. Sea looked up from Bolt’s chest to see Rainbow Dash flying quickly to the house.
“SEA BREEZE!” the cyan mare shouted, landing hard, grass and dirt showering down around her.
“Rainbow! What’s wrong?” Sea asked frantically, running down the steps, Bolt at her heels. Bass and Amethyst busted out of the house and followed the teens. Rainbow panted hard, trying to catch her breath.
“Angus-we-found him,” she managed to get out. Sea rushed up and placed her hooves on the mare’s shoulders.
“Where?!” she shook the pegasus.
“The Everfree For—” Sea didn’t wait for Dash to finish, instead spreading her wings and quickly flying towards the dark forest.
“Sea! WAIT!” Dash called, but the pegasus was already out of hearing range. She turned to Bolt, Bass and Amethyst.
“Somepony needs to go after her! Angus is hurt, badly! We got him to Zecorra’s cottage,” The weather pony collapsed on the ground, exhausted. Bass looked to his wife and Bolt.
“Go! I’ll help Dash!” Amethyst and Bolt spread their wings and took off towards the forest. Bass levitated the mare to his back and took her inside the house.
~~~
Earlier
“Angus!”
“Angus!”
“C’mon, ya goofy dog!”
“Angus?” Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Fluttershy called out to the lost dog.
“Goosey?” Pinkie Pie peeked under a rock.
“Angu—Ooh, I think I stepped in something,” Rarity lifted her front hoof, grimacing.
“Are you sure he even came here, Twi?” Rainbow asked, ignoring the white unicorn.
“Positive. The spell I’m using is a tracking spell. I scan an article of something that belonged to Angus and the DNA on it can be tracked to his current location,” Twilight replied happily.
“When did you get something that belonged to him?” Rarity trotted up beside the alicorn.
“Sea left one of his toys at the castle last weekend when they stayed over. I kept forgetting to give it back.”
The mares continued to walk through the dark forest. Fluttershy wished she could be anywhere but the forest, but the thought that her favorite canine could be hurt somewhere kept her from flying away. Of course Rainbow Dash would go after her and drag her back, so leaving was out of the question.
Rrhhmmm
Applejack paused, her ears pricked forward.
“Oof!”
“Aah! Pinkie!” Applejack grumbled, the part pony running into the farmer.
“Sorry, AJ,” Pinkie grinned. Applejack shook her head. Her ears picked up the sound again.
“Listen!”
“Listen to what?” Pinkie asked.
“Shh!” Applejack stuck her hoof in Pinkie’s mouth. The sound came once more. “That! It sounds like whimpering!”
“C’mon girls!” Twilight charged forward, the other mares galloping behind her.
They came upon a log lying across the pathway. The whimpering sound came again and Fluttershy hurriedly flew to and over it.
“AAHHH!” Fluttershy screamed. The rest of the mares quickly climbed/flew to the pegasus’ aid.
“Fluttershy! What—oh no!” Twilight cried out as she took the sight of the dog.
“Rainbow! Fly to Sea’s house and get her! Pinkie! Alert the veterinarian! Zeccora’s cottage isn’t far. The rest of us will get Angus there. GO!” Twilight said quickly, not taking her eyes off the dog.
“You got it Twi!” Rainbow saluted, racing into the air and to the young pegasus’ home. Pinkie rapidly took off for Ponyville.
“Come on girls, let get him to Zeccora’s! It’s okay Angus, we’ll get you safe.”
~~~
Present
Sea landed in front of the zebra’s cottage. She had accompanied Fluttershy and Twilight several times and knew the way by heart. Standing outside was Rarity and Applejack. Sea galloped up and tried to pass by them, but the seamstress and farmer caught her.
“Let me go!” Sea struggled.
“Ah can’t let ya go in there, Sea,” Applejack gripped the pegasus tighter, taken by surprise at how strong she was.
“Darling, you have to calm down,” Rarity attempted to soothe Sea.
“What happened to him?! Why won’t you let me in?!” Sea stepped back, anger and confusion laced across her face.
“Did Rainbow not tell you?” Rarity asked. Sea lifted a brow.
“Tell me what?”
Rarity felt her eyes swell up with tears, Applejack pulling her Stetson off. “Sea, Ah—”
“SEA BREEZE!” Bolt landed beside her, Amethyst touching down behind him.
Amethyst trotted to Rarity, motioning for the unicorn to follow her.
“Sea flew off before Rainbow could tell her. What happened?” Amethyst inquired, her eyes then went wide, “He isn’t dead, is he?”
Rarity shook her head. “No, but he is hurt. Pinkie went back to town to alert the veterinarian,” Amethyst put her hoof over her mouth.
“ What could have done this to him?”
“Twilight thinks that he was attacked. By a Timberwolf. He’s a lucky dog,”
Amethyst smiled slightly, “He always has been a fighter.”
Twilight came out of the cottage. Her eyes settled on Sea Breeze, who was still trying to get around Applejack. Sea saw her friend and spread her wings. She leaped over Applejack, using her wings to catch the air and rushed up to the alicorn princess.
“Twi! Where’s my dog? Where’s Angus?”
“He’s inside,” Sea started to go in, but stopped when she felt Twilight’s hoof on her own. “Not yet. I need to tell you something,”
“W-what is it?” Sea began to shake. Bolt strode up beside her. Twilight took a breath, preparing herself to tell her foalhood friend the news. “We found him by using a tracking spell I learned a while back. Applejack heard whimpering and we followed the sound to him—” Twilight shut her eyes, several tears squeaking their way through. “I didn’t know if he was even alive. There was so much blood. But he must had heard us because he opened his eyes and tried to get up. Somehow, someway, he was still alive,” Twilight sighed. Sea’s tears had come back in full swing, but she was happy that her beloved pet was safe. Twilight continued, “He actually walked here himself, though he was limping terribly. He collapsed once we got him inside.
“Zeccora and I got him cleaned up. He’s got a deep slash across his chest. We didn’t see any other cuts, but I think his leg might be broken,”
“Can I see him?” Sea asked once Twilight finished, Applejack, Rarity and Amethyst coming beside her
Twilight nodded her head. “Mm-hmm. C’mon.”